Hewlett-Packard Confirms Agency Selection

Taps roster shop after looking outside

Hewlett-Packard, after considering a bevy of non-roster shops to handle global advertising for its personal computers, has selected BBDO, a roster shop that already creates ads for printers and corporate image efforts, according to sources. Global media spending on the PC assignment is estimated at $120 million.

BBDO now handles the bulk of HP's creative business. The relationship began in 2008 with a printing and imaging assignment overseas.

Going into the PC review, BBDO looked like a long shot. After all, the personal systems group had a new marketing chief in Keshin—a former COO of McCann Worldgroup—and why would he hire a consultant (Pile + Co.) and invite non-roster shops to pitch the business (including finalists DDB, Deutsch LA and The Martin Agency) if HP just wanted to expand its relationship with BBDO?

So, then the question changed to, Why employ two agencies for a single division? And in that context, BBDO became a favorite.

Of course, the Omnicom Group agency still had to prove itself strategically and creatively in the review. After all, none other than Whitman attended all four final presentations, which took place two weeks ago at HP's headquarters in Palo Alto, Calif. Even new assignments from existing clients require a pitch sometimes.

Omnicom's Goodby, Silverstein & Partners had handled the account from 2006 until late last year. Since then, Interpublic Group's twofifteenmccann in San Francisco has created PC ads on a project basis.